Fuel pump mounting



Nov. 14, 1950 F. w. KATELEY FUEL PUMP uouu'rmc 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 30, 1945 mmvrm FRANCIS W. KATELEY FIGJB.

ATTORNEY Nov. 14, 1950 F. w. KATELEY 2,530,357

FUEL PUMP uoun'rmc Filed Nov; so, 1945 4 Sheets-Shoot s Z Q. Ma

NVENTOR. KATELEY z FRANCE W ATTORNEY Nov. 14, 1950 Filed Nov. 30, 1945 F; W. KATELEY FUEL PUMP MOUNTING 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ZNVENTOR. FRANQES W. KATELEY ATTORNFY Patented Nov. 14, 1950 srA -NT OFFICE FUEL PUMP MOUNTING Francis W. Kateley, Upper Darby, Pa., assignor to ACF-Brill Motors Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Delaware Application November 30, 1945, Serial No. 631,830

7 Claims.

This invention relates to tanks and consists particularly in novel means for mounting there-' in a device, such as a pump, which operates in association with the fluid normally stored in the tank, while permitting access to and withdrawal of the device without the loss of substantial-quantitles of the stored fluid even though the tank.

may be full.

The invention is adaptable, more especially, to the mounting of an electric fuel pump of the type which operates submerged in the fuel in the tank. Such a pump must be applied to and withdrawn from the interior of the tank through an opening in the tank wall. In some cases the opening can be conveniently located only in the floor of the tank so that in order to gain access to or remove the pump, the fuel tank must be first drained. This may involve the waste or storage of a large quantity of highly inflammable liquid and a consequent flre hazard.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide novel means for mounting a device, such as a fuel pump, in a tank in such a manner that access can be had to the device through a lower wall of the tank without the necessity of draining the entire body of liquid stored in the tank.

A more detailed object is to provide readily detachable means for mounting such a device and its operating connections within a tank.

These objects and other more detailed objects hereafter appearing are attained by the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. l is a detailed side view illustrating a portion of a motor vehicle chassis supporting a fuel Fig. 2 is a, vertical transverse section through a part of the tank and illustrating a fuel pump mounted therein.

Fig. 3 is a partial horizontal section through the tank.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating a modification.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section and elevation of the pump and mounting compartment in the modification.

Fig. 6 is a detailed vertical section taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

In Fig. 1, there is illustrated the rear end portion of the chassis in of a motor vehicle, such as a bus. Fuel tank I l is supported under the chassis by means of brackets 12 and straps l3. Located within the tank is a relatively small, normally sealed compartment it from which there 2 extends upwardly throughthe top wall of the tank a fuel-delivery pipe l5 and a vent tube It. Pipe It extends along the chassis framing to the engine located, for instance, at the front part of the vehicle. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, compartment M has side walls with flanged lower extremities ll which rest upon the tank bottom wall about an opening l8 formed or cut therein. The compartment also has a detachable bottom wall or floor IS with a depressed central portion and edge flange 20 which rests against the under surface of the tank bottom wall, a sealing gasket 2| being interposed. Floor member l3 forms. a common wall or closure for the compartment and opening 18 in the main tank bottom w 11. Member I9 is secured in position'by ann arly arranged bolts 22 received in nut 23 which are permanently soldered or welded on compartment flange ii. The latter flange is also soldered or spot welded to the tank floor as at 24 and 25, this assembly being such that common wall I3 is detachably secured to the tank wall and leakage at the joint is prevented.

A flanged cup 28 is secured to the top walloi compartment l4 and supports a resilient packing 29 which sealingly receives the lower extremity of fuel delivery pipe IS, the seal being insured by a collar 30 soldered as at 3| and 32. Vent tube It is sealingly secured to the compartment top wall by means of apertured collars 33.

Permanently secured to the inner central portion of bottom plate I9 is a mounting structure for an electric fuel pump includingupstanding members 35 forming a cradle for stably mounting an electric fuel pump generally indicated at I. the mounting being such that the pump is wholly carried by detachable bottom plate IS. The pump has an outlet fitting 31 from which extends a tube 38 detachably received in packing 29 and sealingly connected thereby to delivery pipe I5. An electrical cable 40 extends from the top of the pump through bottomplate l3 and is provided at its extremity with a terminal element ll. Cable to is anchored to the plate and sealed by an upper collar 42 having a threaded male element 43, extending through a suitable hole in bottom plate i3, and a nut 44, suitable packing washers 45 being interposed between the plate and members 4 2 and 44. A wire 46 connects terminal ll with a suitable source of electrical energy.

With plate i9 detached, mounting trunnions l3 projecting from the fuel pump body, are seated in cradle structure 35 and secured in position by brackets 49, rotatably received on the trunnions,

stand machine screws 50 which attach the brackets 3 to flanges it formed on the mounting cradle structure (l'ig. 8). Any suitable pump and mounting arrangement may be substituted and, accordingly. these features are not described in detail here.

As best shown in Fig. 8, the normally sealed interior of compartment I4 is connected to the tank proper by means of U-shaped piping It with one end secured to the main tank wall by inner and outer nuts I! and suitable packing washers, with its other extremity extending through adjacent portions of the walls of the main tank and compartment. A resilient bushing 88 is received upon this end of the connecting pipe between the tank and compartment walls and the assembly at this point is maintained by inner and outer nuts I! and It. A valve It is interposed in pipe 84 and has an operating handle 80 whereby the pipe may be cut off when it is desired to remove bottom plate I! and the pump. In normal operation, valve I! will be open to permit free now from the tank proper to the compartment and pump.

In Figs. 4, 5, and 6, the pipe packing, generally indicated at "a between the main tank wall and compartment Na is-of a slightly different form, though functionally similar to that in the previous figures. as are the general contours of the compartment wall and bottom plate "a. Pump outlet fitting 81 is connected by a curved pipe 88 and fitting 84 to a threaded passage 65 formed in the bottom plate structure. In this form, the bottom plate may be conveniently cast and passages II, II, and 81 are drilled or cored therein, hole 88 being plugged at its end as at 88. Permanently secured to a side wall of compartment No is a bracket ll having a vertical aperture which permanently receives pump delivery tube H xtending sealingly through the compartment and tank top walls and to the engine. Also mounted in the bracket are a sleeve 12 and resilient packing washer I8. The sleeve forms a tight but detachable lit in one arm of passage 61 in the bottom plate for connecting curved pipe 63 to delivery tube ll. Application of the bottom plate to the tank wall by means of bolts I4 and nuts 14a compresses packing l8 and an additional packing gasket It so as to seal the joint at this point. Electrical cable 40a extends at its lower extremity through a raised fitting 42a mounted on the bottom plate costing about an opening 'll therein. Sealing and spacing washers l8 and 19 are interposed between this fitting and the bottom plate. these parts being secured in position by bolts 80. The under surface of the bottom plate structure is recessed, as at 8| for accommodating cable connecting terminal la and the connected end of wire 82 which extends to the source of power. A threaded plug 88 and packing gaskets 84 and 85 seal the opening through which wire .2 extends into recess 8|. This wire is shown protected by sheathing 86. A plate 81 closes space 8| in the bottom plate casting.

In the modification, valve 590 may be cut oil, as in the previous form, to seal the compartment from the main body of the tank and permit removal of the bottom plate structure and the fuel pump without loss of fuel from the tank proper. The quantity of fuel stored in the compartment may be drained therefrom by means of a removable plug 88 so that this small portion of fuel may be wasted without any great loss or stored without substantial danger. Removal of plate 81 permits withdrawal of bolts 80 and disconnection of electrical wire 82 from terminal a. Thereplate structure including the pump, mounting,

and connection, may be withdrawn downwardly as a unit, i'uel connection sleeve 12 sliding through packing 18, if it lodges in the bracket, or carries the packing with it. In returning the bottom plate and motor unit to its normal position, when the holes for securing bolts ll are properly aligned, sleeve 12 will register properly with bracket 10 and electrical fitting 42a will, similarly register, with opening 11 in the bottom plate structure.

The broad features oi this invention may be utilized in connection with a device, other than a fuel pump, which is normally positioned inside a tank and operates in connection with the fluid stored therein. Accordingly. the configuration of the inner compartment and the fittings therein for operating connections may be varied as required.

The invention may be modified in these and other respects as will occur to those skilled in the art and the exclusive use of all modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims is contemplated.

I claim:

1. In a fuel tank, a compartment within the tank mounted on one of the walls thereof, a

fuel pump mounted on said well and having an inwardly facing discharge opening, a fuel delivery tube extending from a coupling in a wall of said compartment through the main tank wall, a second delivery tube extending from said discharge opening to said coupling means providing communication between the tank and the compartment, and means to cut off said communication, said well being separably attached to the tank to permit ready removal of said pump and its delivery tube as a unit, said out off means preventing loss of fuel from the tank proper when said wall is removed.

2. Fuel tank structure comprising a compartment inside of and normally sealed from the tank proper, said compartment and tank proper having a common detachable well, an electrically driven fuel pump mounted on said wall inside said compartment, an electrical connection extending from said pump through said wall and sealingly mounted thereon, a wire terminal on the end of said connection, a fuel connection between said compartment and the tank proper and external valve means for control of the fuel connection whereby the pump may be removed from said compartment as a unit by detachment of said common wall without draining the tank proper.

3. Fuel tank structure comprising a compartment inside of and normally sealed from the tank proper, said compartment and the tank 0 proper having a common, detachable wall, a fuel pump mounted on said wall inside said compartment, said pump having a discharge opening provided with a delivery coupling, a second coupling sealingly mounted in said wall, a delivery tube connecting said couplings, and a valved fuel connection between said compartment and the tank proper whereby said pump and its delivery tube may be applied to the tank as a unit by attachment of said common wall thereto.

4. Fuel tank structure comprising a compartment within and normally sealed from the tank proper, said compartment and tank having a common, detachable outside wall, a fuel pump mounted on said well inside said compartment,

said pump having a discharge opening provided with a delivery coupling, a second coupling including a resilient packing mounted in one of the compartment walls, a fuel delivery tube for said pump extending from said second coupling through a wall of the main tank, a second fuel delivery tube extending between said couplings and slidably received in said packing, and a valved fuel connection between said compartment and the tank proper whereby said pump and its delivery tube may be applied to the tank as a unit by attachment of said common wall thereto.

5. In combination, a fuel tank, a compartment inside said tank and normally sealed therefrom, said compartment and tank having a common, detachable outside wall, a motor driven fuel pump mounted inside said compartment, an orifice in said common wall for draining said compartment, a pair of fittings carried by said common wall, an electrical cable and a fuel delivery pipe secured in the fittings and connected to the motor and pump respectively, a fuel connection between said compartment and the tank proper for normally suppb'ing fuel to said pump, and a valve in said fuel connection for cutting off said compartment from the tank proper to permit application to and withdrawal from the tank proper of said pump and its operating connections merely upon attachment and detachment of said common wall to the tank.

6. In a fluid container, a tank having an opening in one side thereof, a sealed compartment within the tank having an opening in registry with the tank opening a removable cover for the common opening, a fluid pump in the compartment mounted on the cover and adapted to be removed through the common opening, a delivery tube in communication with the compartment,

5 means in the compartment wall releasably connecting the discharge of the pump to the delivery tube, means connected between the tank and the compartment providing communication therebetween, and valve means located on the outside of the tank for control of the connecting means.

7. In a fluid container, a tank having a sealed compartment provided with a removable wall portion so as to provide an external access opening to the compartment, a fluid pump in the compartment mounted on the removable wall portion and adapted to be inserted through the access opening, a delivery tube in communication with the compartment, vent means in constant communication with the compartment, means within the compartment and secured to one of the walls thereof for slidably and releasably coupling the delivery tube to the discharge of the pump, such means including a housing having therein resilient packing material, 0011- v duit means providing for communication between the tank and the compartment, valve means connected in the conduit means for the control of such communication between the tank and the compartment so that the pump and wall assembly may be conveniently removed from the container without draining the tank.

FRANCIS W. KATELEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,392,128 Dinsmore Jan. 1, 1946 2,395,661 Heekert Feb. 26, 1946 2,409,245 Black Oct. 15, 1948 

